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A31
PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 17 May 2019

Review:

New anthology

of Gabriel Garcia

Marquez journalism

By ANN LEVIN
Associated Press
“The Scandal of the Cen-
tury and Other Writings,”
by Gabriel Garcia Mar-
quez (Alfred A. Knopf).
Although he was award-
ed the Nobel Prize for lit-
erature, Gabriel Garcia
Marquez’s first love was
journalism. Calling it “the
best job in the world,”
he said, “I am basically
a journalist. All my life I
have been a journalist. This cover image released
by Alfred A. Knopf shows
My books are the books “The Scandal of the Century This May 13, 2019 photo shows James Bay at Metropolis Vintage NYC in New York.
Associated Press
of a journalist, even if it’s and Other Writings,” by
Associated Press A T-shirt shopping trip
not so noticeable.” Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
That may well be the
case. What’s also true is Hundred Years of Soli-
that the 50 pieces in this tude” and “The Autumn with rock singer James Bay
volume, selected by Cris- of the Patriarch.”
tobal Pera, who helped Consider a pair of essays By MESFIN FEKADU his is like, ‘I bleached my son — Jacquire King (Kings
edit Garcia Marquez’s written in the ‘70s reflect- AP Music Writer hair.’ He’s so cool.” R&B star of Leon, Tom Waits) for his
memoirs, and with an ing on the overthrow of NEW YORK (AP) — Yes, Brit- Maxwell is called “amaz- Grammy-nominated 2015
introduction by journalist military dictators in Ven- ish singer James Bay’s fa- ing!” and seeing Janet debut, “Chaos and the
Jon Lee Anderson, are ezuela (1958) and Cuba vorite music T-shirt is of the Jackson reminds him that a Calm,” and Paul Epworth
more than just a little liter- (1959), both of which Rolling Stones, but the one good friend is going to the (Adele, U2) on “Electric
ary. The topics include a he covered. His descrip- he wishes he had? Aretha pop star’s new residency in Light” — Bay has collabo-
sighting of Ernest Heming- tions of Havana under Franklin. Las Vegas this week. rated with various creatives
way, one of his literary Batista and the years im- “Somebody asked the oth- Several T-shirts featuring the on “Oh My Messy Mind,”
heroes, in 1957, when mediately afterward — er day, ‘What’s your great- Stones hits home with the including Joel Little (Lorde,
Garcia Marquez was just “Cuba soon found that est influence of all-time?’ 28-year-old singer: “Last Taylor Swift), Dan Wilson
a 28-year-old journalist at it was not actually a dis- ... I can’t see how it’s not summer we opened for the (Dixie Chicks, Adele), Ryan
loose ends in Paris; and a tinct country but rather Aretha,” Bay said while Stones. And Ronnie’s been Tedder (Maroon 5, Beyon-
magnificent, lushly poet- a commercial peninsula shopping at a vintage store onstage with us.” cé) and Ariel Rechtshaid
ic tribute to John Lennon of the United States” — with hundreds of music T- “Keith is cool. We’ve hung (Haim, Vampire Weekend).
written after the Beatle’s still resonate today as shirts plastered around the with Keith a few times. He’s “On this EP, the only con-
1980 assassination. Venezuela devolves into walls. “Since I was 16, I re- a good dude. He doesn’t stant as far as production
“In a century in which the crisis and the U.S. dou- ligiously listened to Aretha say a lot, but he wants to goes is actually me,” he
winners are always those bles down on its long- Franklin. And I feel (exple- hang. He’s brilliant,” Bay said. “When I say the con-
who hit hardest, who standing trade embargo tive) inspired by what she said. stant’s me, Joel — just to
take the most votes, who against Cuba. Also, his does.” Bay talks about the mu- pick one of those names
score the most goals, alarm about ecologi- “People talk about great- sicians who have had a — is such an incredible pro
the richest men and the cal devastation in South est singers of all-time (and) profound impact with the and you can leave him to
most beautiful women, America was prescient. people talk about Frank same excitement he does it, but because it’s my mu-
the commotion caused “The Magdalena River is Sinatra (and) Frank Sina- about the songs he crafted sic, I feel like I need to be
all over the world by the dead,” he wrote in 1981 tra’s phenomenal, but hon- for “Oh My Messy Mind,” his there.”
death of a man who has about the principal river estly, how does he hold a new EP released last week. The title of the EP would
done nothing but sing to in his native Colombia. flame to Aretha?” A year ago this week Bay make you think Bay had
love is encouraging. It’s “People speak too eas- Unfortunately at Metropolis released his sophomore al- gone through a major
the apotheosis of those ily of reforestation.” As Vintage in New York City, bum, “Electric Light,” and breakup, and listening to
who never win.” That’s in any anthology, some there’s no Aretha in stock he said he’s excited to the songs would only drive
at the beginning, and it of the pieces are better — “just can’t find a vintage drop new music faster than the point home, especially
only gets better. than others. His style can Aretha T-shirt,” the owner he’s done in the past. current single “Bad.”
What’s particularly strik- be baroque. He repeats said — though Bay walks “There’s just such a huge “It’s a breakup song that
ing is how timely and himself. He appears to away with a shirt featuring appetite for new music all just isn’t my breakup,” Bay
relevant many of the dis- believe in ghosts. But the cover of the Beatles’ the time now (and) it’s fun said. “Me and my girlfriend
patches are today, even taken together, the writ- “Let It Be” and a bright red to put stuff out — as long are great. We’re great.
though the most recent ing here offers readers a Keith Haring tee. as it’s stuff you’re proud of, The interesting thing for me
was written 35 years ago, splendid opportunity to As he sifts through the col- you love and you can sort about that song is there
after he’d already won sit for a few hours in the lection, he notes other influ- of standby,” said Bay, who were a few different peo-
his Nobel and earned presence of a storyteller ences as well. Seeing Kurt had Top 20 pop hit with ple who were very close
universal acclaim for of spellbinding genius Cobain’s face on a black “Let It Go” in 2016. to me that were going
beloved works like “One and humanity.q tee, he says: “Of all the art- While his full albums were through some tough stuff
ists that have iconic looks, produced by just one per- relationship status-wise.”q